FRUIT AND KITCHEN GARDENS NEAR PARIS. 



205 



formed by crossing and inarching the branches of apple-trees, so 

 as to form rhomboid interstices. The piece had been grown 

 from three stems, and was three or four feet high. The branches 

 were so completely united, that although the bark was partly 

 off, and the wood somewhat fissured by exposure, it was impos- 

 sible to say with which stem in particular the vegetation of the 

 respective branches had communicated. I am of opinion, that 

 if any one of the stems had been sawed over, the branches it 

 supported would have derived nourishment to keep them alive 

 from the other roots. It appeared to have been removed from 

 the place of its growth many years ; but previously it must have 

 formed part of a very strong living espalier. 



Several of the hot-houses are very old, and will probably be 

 pulled down as soon as the contemplated additional new ranges 

 are finished. At present there is not half sufficient room for the 

 large collection they contain. The new palm-house is lofty ; and 

 in it there are some magnificent specimens. 



In some of the hot-houses, heat is derived from large stoves 

 of white stoneware, placed inside. They have apertures at the 

 sides for supplying heated air, somewhat resembling the Polmaise 

 system. They are adapted for burning wood, and appear to 

 have been in use for many years. The state of the weather re- 

 quired them to be hard at work when I had the opportunity of 

 seeing them. 



In the Ecole de Botanique, the plants are named on different 

 coloured labels : Red, indicating plants used in medicine ; Green, 

 alimentary ; Blue, those employed in the arts ; Yellow, orna- 

 mental ; and Black, poisonous plants. I may here mention that 

 M. Neumann, who has the superintendence of the plant-houses, 

 was for some time in the Mauritius. He informed us that the 

 Aerides odoratum is there used as tea, a very few leaves being 

 sufficient for infusion. I thought it might be employed merely 

 for imparting a flavour to the tea ; but he said they used the 

 Aerides leaves without employing any other along with them. 



Keteleer's Nursery, Boulevard des Gobelins. — In this there 

 is but little space for fruit-trees ; but grafting of Pinuses and 

 other ornamental plants is performed very successfully. M. 

 Keteleer finds the Abies religiosa does much better grafted upon 

 the Abies canadensis than it does upon the Abies excelsa. He 

 possesses excellent collections of Conifers, Azaleas, Roses, and 

 Camellias, and amongst the latter a fine new variety called Ca- 

 mellia Saccoi nova. 



The Nursery of 31. Dupuy Jamin. Barriere d'ltcriie, Route 

 de Fontainebleau, contains extensive assortments of fruit-trees 



